Qalat Sukkar
Place in Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Qalat Sukkar (Arabic: قلعة سكر, romanized: Qal`at es Sikar, lit. 'Sugar Castle') is a town in the Dhi Qar Governorate, Iraq, located on the Gharraf Canal.
Sikkar Castle
قلعة سكر Qal‘at es Sikkar | |
|---|---|
 Sikkar Castle Location in Iraq | |
| Coordinates: 31°51′32″N 46°04′38″E | |
| Country | Iraq |
| Governorate | Dhi Qar Governorate |
| Elevation | 39 ft (12 m) |
| Population (2014) | |
• Total | 110,000 |
| Time zone | 5 |
Demographics
Qalat Sukkar has a population of 110,000.[1]
Location
Qalat Sukar is located on a ridge west of the Gharraf Canal (the old canal that the Sumerians dug up some 4000 years ago). Qalat Sukar is 6 km northeast of the remains of the ancient Sumerian city of Larsa.[2] A modern drainage canal separates Qalat Sukar from Larsa Tell.[2]
James Abbott Sauer and Khair Yassine, believe that because of the name, and the former marshlands in the area,[3] it is likely that Qalat Sukar was originally the site of a sugar mill,[4] constructed after sugarcane was introduced into the area in the ninth century.[5]
The nearest large city is An Nasiriyah, Iraq with a population of 587,000.
Airfield
During the Iraq War, the Qalat Sukkar Airfield was occupied by the US Marines and called Camp Fenway.[6]
